Friday, April 05, 2013 10:19 am

Lawyer: Delhi rape suspect's arm broken in jail

The Associated Press

A man accused in the fatal gang rape of a woman on a New Delhi bus in December was beaten so badly in jail that his arm was broken, a defense lawyer said Friday.

The attack followed the death last month of another defendant, whose lifeless body was found in his cell, which he shared with three other inmates. Authorities said Ram Singh committed suicide by hanging himself. His father said the man had been raped in prison by other inmates.

On Thursday, the other four defendants being tried in a special court that deals with crimes against women complained to the court about being routinely beaten by fellow inmates and guards at Delhi's Tihar Jail, defense lawyer A.P. Singh told reporters outside the courtroom.

Instead of authorities responding with extra security, defendant Vinay Sharma was beaten so badly after he returned to jail that his arm was broken, Singh said.

Tihar Jail spokesman Sunil Gupta denied that Sharma was beaten up.

`'His arm was broken, but he stated before the doctor that he got his arm broken due to falling in the jail van," Gupta said.

Singh called for the defendants to be moved to a jail where they could be better protected.

The men are charged with rape and murder for the fatal attack on a young woman in a moving bus in New Delhi in December that sparked protests demanding the country do more to protect its women. A fifth defendant is being tried in juvenile court.